Huntsville gazette., 1887-01-15
SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM.
A Successful Editor Tells How It Might Be
Made Useful and Desirable.

A Successful Editor Tells HOW 1t Might Be
Made Useful and Desirable.
AS rule. two types of young men
present themselves for admission into
newspaper offices; the callow collegiate,
who knows too much, and the poor
devil, who knows nothing. Of the two,
the latter is to be preferred. He has
less to unlearn. He is as fresh sheet
of letter; and, if he be clean, and made
out of good stock, there is hope for him.
The other may get on; but the likeli-
hood is that, after failing In all the
lines of ambitious work, he will at last
drop into position of ill-paid cbscurity
and fixed subordination, and bceome
harmless crank. He is the 'cslshed
tragedian" of journalism.
In each instance some preparatory
instruction would be valuable, and not
less to journalism than to journalistic
aspirants ard applicants. 1t would
spare journalism the wear and tear and
the risk of depending upon novices for
work too often important and delicate,
while educating them. 1t would dis
close the unlitness Of many would-be
journalists in time to save them and
put the more promising npon the right
road. There is not Il newspaper man.
ager in the country who would be glad
to recruit his little army of news
gatherers from school III which the
rudimentary principles Of newspaper
requirements and responsibility are
well taught. Such school would no
more make journalist than West
Point makes a soldier. But it would
lay the needful foundations.
The chief end to be aimed at by a
school Of journalism should be, first,
simple training in the preparation Of
copy for publication. embracing the
art of condensation, and second, moral
training in. the obligations of decency
and truthfulness, which the individual
assumes when he becomes public
writer or reporter for the press.
After all. success III every enterprise
is refcrablc TO the ability and skill of
the men who originate it and devote
themselves to it. Many excellent
schemes fail for lack Of adequate hand
ling But we sire inclined to think that
Il time has come, when the organization
OF 4 faculty for a school of journalism
IS possible. The great newspaper prop
critics Of the country are for the most
part i'll the hands of those who are not
willing to part with them, and are
consequently beyond the reach Of many
poor Young men. who have only their
experience and talents to sustain them
and TO look to, in the subordinate
places Of managing editor ard city
editor, which they have attained. and
beyond which there j. no probable pro-
motion. These are not, as Il rule, SO
we'll paid for the most alyluous work
known to man that their services might
not be had as instructors by a prosper
Gus school Of journalism. and their
qualifications to give practical instruc
tions viii not be denied. OF course,
occasional lectures or courses from the
greater guns might stimulate and adj
vel'tise, and would be interesting as in
divfdual performances, If not in
structiye as lessons in iournalism; but
OF the utiitarian value OF elementary
Instructions by expert everyday jour
nalists we have as little doubt as we
have that these latter may be secured
by the Inducements which lure others
from active professional work to the
business Of professional teaching.
On the whole, therefore, it seems to
rs that the idea Of the University Of
Pennsylvania is feasible and desirable,
and we may add the expression Of the
opinion that no better site for the pro-
posed school could be found than the
city Of Philadelphia, which is in close
contiguity to 50 many OF the great
cities. yet apart from them, and where
practical journalism has made uncOm-
mon advances the last ten or twelve
years, creating certain competitive
enthusiasm and a professional esprit
de corps favorable to those atmospheric
conditions that, in journalism, hardly
less than in art and letters, germinate
and enlarge the species which they
permeate and envelop.-LouisUiW
COurief-JCuT}Sa}.
. -
Fox and Cromwell.